The MG Midget occupies a very particular place in the British classic car landscape. Small, simple, cheerful and almost entirely without pretension, it was never trying to be anything other than an affordable open two-seater for people who wanted to enjoy their driving without spending a fortune on the car or on keeping it running. Nearly sixty years after the first one rolled out of Abingdon, that proposition still holds. Parts are plentiful, running costs are modest, and the community of people who know these cars is enormous. If you are looking for your first classic, or your tenth, the Midget earns serious consideration.
A brief history
The Midget arrived in 1961 as essentially a rebadged Austin-Healey Sprite, the two cars sharing the same body, chassis and mechanicals while wearing different badges and grilles. This arrangement, which BMC referred to as badge engineering and everyone else referred to as rather obvious, continued throughout the Midget’s production life. The Midget and the Sprite were built side by side at Abingdon until 1971 when the Sprite was quietly discontinued, leaving the Midget to carry on alone until 1979. Over 225,000 were built in total, the majority of them destined for the American market where the little roadster sold extremely well throughout the 1960s and 1970s.
Which Midget?
The Midget changed considerably over its eighteen year production run and the choice of which variant to buy involves more than personal preference. The different marks have genuinely different characteristics, different known problems and different levels of everyday usability.
Mk1 (1961 to 1964)
The earliest Midgets used the 948cc A-series engine, later upgraded to 1098cc during the production run. These are charming, simple cars but the performance is modest even by the standards of the era. The sliding sidescreens rather than wind-up windows mark them out as the most basic of the range. Good examples are becoming scarce and command a premium accordingly. If originality and the earliest body style appeal, these are the ones to look for. If you want something you can use regularly without feeling you are flogging an antique, the later cars serve better.
Mk2 (1964 to 1966)
The Mk2 brought wind-up windows, which sounds like a small improvement until you have spent a winter morning wrestling with a sidescreen in a car park. The 1098cc engine continued. A tidier and more usable car than the Mk1 without being dramatically different. Values are similar and the same advice applies: excellent if originality matters, but there are more capable cars later in the range for everyday use.
Mk3 (1966 to 1974)
The 1275cc A-series engine arrived with the Mk3 and transformed the car. This is the engine that the Midget was always meant to have, and it makes the earlier cars feel noticeably underpowered by comparison. The 1275cc unit is torquey, responsive and almost indestructible if properly maintained, and it shares its basic architecture with the Mini Cooper S engine which means decades of tuning knowledge and parts availability. The Mk3 is the most plentiful of the chrome bumper variants and represents the best combination of character, performance and value. Most buyers looking for a usable classic Midget end up here and very few of them regret it.
Midget 1500 (1974 to 1979)
The 1500 is the controversial one. British Leyland replaced the beloved 1275cc A-series with the 1493cc Triumph Spitfire engine, which produced more power on paper but has never quite been forgiven by Midget purists. The Triumph engine is a different character entirely, less rev-happy and more prone to bottom end wear on neglected examples. It also shares the Spitfire 1500’s known crankshaft thrust washer issue, so the same scrutiny described in our Spitfire buyers guide applies here. The 1500 also introduced the rubber bumpers and squared off wheel arches that divide opinion sharply, of which more below. That said, a well maintained 1500 is a perfectly decent car and they are generally cheaper than equivalent chrome bumper cars, which makes them an accessible entry point to Midget ownership.
Chrome bumpers versus rubber bumpers
This is the defining question for most Midget buyers and the answer is almost always the same: chrome bumpers are more desirable, more attractive and more valuable. The chrome bumper cars ran from 1961 to approximately 1974 and represent the Midget in its intended form. The low, clean nose and tail with chrome overriders is the look that most people associate with the car and the look that most buyers are seeking.
The rubber bumper cars arrived in 1974 as a response to American safety legislation requiring impact absorbing bumpers. The solution British Leyland arrived at involved large black polyurethane bumpers front and rear, mounted on extended brackets that raised the ride height and altered the whole stance of the car. The result was practical, legal in the American market, and almost universally considered an aesthetic step backwards. There is no diplomatic way to put this: most people think the rubber bumper Midget is less attractive than the chrome bumper version, and the market values reflect this consistently.
The rubber bumpers are not without defenders. They are more forgiving in car parks, the ride height change actually improved the handling slightly, and the later cars are generally cheaper to buy, meaning you get more car for your money if you are not troubled by the aesthetics. A significant number of rubber bumper cars have also been converted to chrome bumpers by previous owners, which brings us neatly to the subject of modifications to watch for.
Round arches versus square arches
Closely related to the bumper question is the wheel arch question. Chrome bumper Midgets have smooth, rounded wheel arches that flow naturally from the body. The 1974 onwards rubber bumper cars have squared off, flared arches to accommodate the raised suspension and wider track. The two look quite different and the round arch is considered the more elegant of the two by most observers.
Again, conversions exist. Some rubber bumper cars have been fitted with round arch bodywork as part of a chrome bumper conversion, and some chrome bumper cars have been modified with flared arches for competition or personal taste. Neither conversion is inherently bad work but both affect originality and value, and a car presented as one thing should be checked carefully to confirm it actually is that thing. A Heritage Certificate will confirm the original specification.
Hard tops
A hard top transforms the Midget’s year round usability considerably. The factory offered a bolt-on hard top as an optional extra and period aftermarket hard tops were also available from various suppliers. A correct factory hard top in good condition adds genuine value to a car and is worth having if year round use is intended.
There are a few things to check when a hard top is fitted. First, confirm the hard top actually fits the car correctly and seals properly at all edges. Hard tops can warp slightly over decades of use and a top that looks fine sitting on the car may leak at corners or along the screen rail. Second, check the condition of the rubber sealing strips around the perimeter, which harden and crack with age and are the most common source of leaks. Third, look carefully at the bodywork where the hard top mounts, as ill-fitting tops can cause paint damage and corrosion at the mounting points over time. Replacement sealing strips are available and affordable. A warped hard top is less easily solved.
Soft tops
The Midget’s soft top is a simple affair by any standard, which is both its strength and its limitation. It goes up and down quickly, it provides adequate weather protection when in good condition, and replacement hoods are available at reasonable prices. The frame itself is straightforward and replacement bows are available if any have been bent or broken.
Check the hood carefully before buying. Look for tears, crazing in the rear window, and mildew in the folds. A hood that has been stored damp or folded incorrectly for years can be in very poor condition even if it appears intact from a distance. Also check that the hood fits the car correctly at the screen rail and rear quarters, as a hood that was fitted to a slightly different body than it was made for will never seal properly regardless of how much you fiddle with it. Budget for a replacement hood as a contingency on any used Midget purchase.
Modifications and aftermarket upgrades to watch for
The Midget’s simplicity and the enormous pool of A-series engine knowledge means it has been modified, uprated, restored, converted and improved by enthusiastic owners for sixty years. Some of these modifications are entirely positive. Others are best described as educational in retrospect. Here is what to look for and what questions to ask.
Engine modifications
The 1275cc A-series engine responds very well to tuning and a significant proportion of Mk3 Midgets have had some degree of engine work. Common upgrades include a big valve cylinder head, a hotter camshaft, a single or twin Weber or Dellorto carburettor in place of the standard SU, an uprated exhaust manifold, and a capacity increase to 1380cc. All of these are well understood modifications with a long track record and none of them inherently devalue the car. A properly built 1380cc engine with a good head and a Weber is a genuinely enjoyable thing to drive.
What to watch for is modification work that has been done poorly or incompletely. An engine that has been fitted with a performance camshaft but nothing else to complement it will often idle poorly and give away its power in the wrong places. A Weber carburettor fitted without a proper jet and needle setup will be worse than the SU it replaced. Ask what work has been done and by whom, and listen to the engine carefully. A well built modified A-series sounds purposeful and pulls cleanly throughout the rev range. A bodged one announces itself almost immediately.
Bumper and arch conversions
Chrome bumper conversions on rubber bumper cars are common and vary considerably in quality. A properly done conversion involves correct chrome bumpers and overriders, the correct front valance, lowering the suspension back to chrome bumper ride height, and ideally fitting round arch bodywork if the car had square arches. A partial conversion that fits chrome bumpers without correcting the ride height looks wrong because the car sits too high for the chrome bumper stance. Check carefully what has actually been done rather than accepting the description at face value. A car described as a chrome bumper conversion should look like a chrome bumper car, not like a rubber bumper car wearing chrome accessories.
Suspension upgrades
Uprated suspension components are widely fitted to Midgets. Stiffer springs, adjustable dampers, uprated anti-roll bars and polyurethane bushes in place of the original rubber items all improve handling and are generally positive modifications on a car used for spirited driving. Polyurethane bushes in particular are worth having as they last considerably longer than the original rubber and maintain the suspension geometry more accurately as the car ages.
The suspension modification to be cautious about is a lowered ride height on a chrome bumper car. The standard ride height on these cars is already quite low and significant lowering can cause the front valance to ground on speed bumps, which is both undignified and damaging. A mild drop of half an inch or so is generally fine. More than that and everyday use in a country with roads like ours becomes an adventure.
Five speed gearbox conversions
The standard four speed gearbox is adequate but a five speed conversion transforms the Midget’s motorway manners considerably. Various conversions exist using gearboxes from the Metro, the Ford Sierra, the Rover 77mm unit and others. A well executed five speed conversion is a genuinely useful upgrade and does not detract from the driving experience. Check that the conversion has been properly engineered, that the gear lever position is sensible, and that the ratios are appropriate for the engine specification. A five speed conversion with ratios designed for a much more powerful engine can leave the Midget feeling sluggish in the lower gears.
Roll bars and safety upgrades
A bolt-on roll bar is a sensible addition to any open top classic and various aftermarket options are available for the Midget. These range from simple hoops that bolt to the rear bodywork to more substantial competition-style bars that tie into the chassis. Check that any roll bar is properly fitted and has not been simply bolted through the bodywork without proper backing plates, which is unfortunately not unusual on older fitments. A roll bar that pulls through the bodywork in an accident is considerably worse than no roll bar at all.
What to look for: bodywork and structure
The Midget rusts with the same enthusiasm as any other Abingdon product of the era, which is to say comprehensively and in all the places that are most expensive to repair. The sills are the most critical item and the most commonly bodged. Probe both the outer and inner sill structure and be deeply suspicious of any outer sill that sounds hollow or gives at all under pressure. A new outer sill fitted over a rotten inner is one of the oldest tricks in the enthusiastic vendor’s handbook.
Check the floor pans under the mats and the area behind the front wheels where mud accumulates. The front valance rusts at its lower edge and the rear valance around the number plate light. The boot floor and spare wheel well are worth checking for rot and previous accident damage. On convertibles the door pillars and windscreen surround are structural and should be checked carefully for any sign of rot or repair.
What to look for: mechanicals
The 1275cc A-series is one of the most robust small engines ever fitted to a British car, provided it has been maintained. Check the oil level and condition before starting the engine. A warm engine should idle evenly, pull cleanly and not produce blue smoke on the overrun. A rattly top end on a cold start that clears once warm is usually tappets and is not a serious concern. A rattle that persists once warm warrants further investigation.
Check the gearbox for baulking on second and any tendency to jump out of third under load. The back axle should be quiet in all conditions. Any whine or clonk from the rear needs investigating before purchase.
On 1500 models, apply all the scrutiny described in the Spitfire 1500 section of our Spitfire buyers guide to the engine. The crankshaft thrust washer issue in particular is worth checking with a proper oil pressure gauge on a warm engine at idle.
What to pay
Chrome bumper Mk3 cars in solid, usable condition typically ask between £5,000 and £9,000 at the time of writing. Well restored examples with good documentation command £10,000 to £15,000. Early cars in good original condition are rarer and can exceed that. Rubber bumper 1500 cars are cheaper across the board, with usable examples available from around £3,500 to £7,000 and very good cars around £8,000 to £11,000. The price gap between chrome and rubber bumper versions has narrowed slightly in recent years as the 1500 has found its own following, but the chrome bumper cars remain the more sought after.
Before you buy
The MGOC (MG Owners Club) and the MG Car Club both have extensive resources, technical advice and a network of knowledgeable members who can assist with pre-purchase inspection on specific cars. Joining before you start looking costs very little and is invariably worthwhile. A Heritage Certificate from the British Motor Museum confirms the original factory specification and is recommended for any significant purchase. Classic car insurance on an agreed value policy is strongly recommended, and as always, get the quote before you commit to the car rather than after.
The MG Midget is one of the most enjoyable ways to spend a modest budget in the classic car market. It asks relatively little, gives a great deal back, and has been charming people into overlooking its limitations for over sixty years. That is not a bad record for something that was designed as an inexpensive way to go around corners quickly, which is really all it ever claimed to be.